Kojima Discusses the Open World of MGS 5

The next MGS title is going open world, and creator Hideo Kojima discussed the pitfalls and benefits of such a change.

By IGN Staff

In a departure from earlier franchise installments, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain will place players in an open world where they're free to approach missions as they see fit. In a recent interview, MGS creator Hideo Kojima spoke about the advantages inherent in "open world" games.

"With MGS up to now, we could only build the interior of wherever you were infiltrating," he told Famitsu (Via Polygon). "How you got there was shown in a cutscene, and the player would just suddenly be in front of the entrance. Once you finished the mission, there'd be another cutscene, a helicopter or whatever would come by, and you'd escape.

"It's not that linear games are bad [...] but really, it'd be fun if you were the one thinking about how and where to infiltrate, what sort of equipment to bring, and how to get out of there."

Kojima was quick to clarify that the open world of MGS V won't allow Snake to partake in menial activities such as fishing or cooking, but will instead be used to encourage exploration centered around missions central to the game.

"Of course it's not going to be a game where Snake fishes all day or changes jobs and pursues a different life," Kojima said. "The game map is an open world and you have freedom in that way, but in MGS V, it's clear what you're doing. That may be 'I have to help someone,' or 'Destroy this thing,' or 'Go gather intelligence at this spot'. Some missions will have time limits, too."

Although The Phantom Pain is an attempt to cater more to the North American market, Kojima said, it will still feel like an MGS title; the open world is merely a means to creating a more immersive series entry.

"I feel that games are interactive media, and the rush comes in being able to use what you're given freely to play," Kojima said. "Open worlds create that for you, and I think the future of gaming lies in them."